chironomus larvae culture –a boon to aquaculture sector

Kumar 2016 239

Volume: 2; Issue: 1; January-2016; pp 239-251. ISSN: 2454-5422

Chironomus larvae culture A boon to Aquaculture sectorKumar.,D

Research Department of Zoology, V.H.N.S.N College (Autonomous), Virudhunagar-626001, India.*Corresponding author: email: [email protected]

AbstractThe C.ramosus larvae were selected for the present study. Four types of organic nutrient

manure were prepared viz; cow dung, vegetable waste, duck waste and rice bran. Each

organic manure weight range from 5, 10,15g dissolved in 10 lt of dechlorinated water.

Among the organic manure the cow dung (15) g displayed the following parameters, no of

eggs was 286.66 1.24,Hatchability 96.664.71 and the fly emergence is 15.0 0.816 days,

survival rate was 100% and followed other organic manure. Due to the organic manure

variation, the larval periods also ranged from 14-19 days were observed. The life cycle of

the species 23 days were recorded respectively.

Keywords: Chironomus ramosus. rearing, organic manure, life cycle, live feed

IntroductionThey are the most abundant and diverse group of aquatic insects. They are found in almost

any water body and it is common for Chironomids to comprise more than 50% of the

species richness. Some kinds of Chironomids are blood red (this color is list when the

specimen is preserved). The red coloration comes from hemoglobin that allows the larvae

to store oxygen and survive in situations with low dissolved oxygen.

It is an important food source for insects, fishes and birds. Particle size of the nutrient

medium and silt used for construction of the tube determine the efficiency of filtration and

growth (Mc Lachlan and Shanmugavelu,1984).Studies on food consumption and growth of

Volume: 2; Issue: 1; January-2016. ISSN: 2454-5422

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Chironomids have been mostly carried out in the field, where the effect of quality of food

can not be easily monitored (Johannson,1980).

The Chironomid larvae and pupae are highly nutritious and nourishing and constitute one

of the stable food items in the ration of many fishes in the natural environment. They will

greedily devour them, when they are offered and the fish grow faster and spawn earlier.

They have been reported in literature to be very adequate for growth in fishes (Johnson,

1929; Ling, 1966; Yashouv, 1970).

The larvae are used as live food for aquarium fishes and carnivorous fish fry in fish culture.

Its suitability in this aspect has been well documented (Yashouv, 1956; Ling, 1966; and

Yashouv and Shachar, 1967). Larval insects of the family chironomidae or midges are the

common and most important natural foods of many fishes. Midges larvae only

occasionally have been reared as food for cultured fish (Sadler, 1935; Konstantinov, 1952,

1954, 1958; Yashouv and Ben Shachar., 1970). The present paper reports on the laboratory

growth of Chironomus ramosus larvae reared using different organic manure and life cycle

of the species were recorded.

Material and Methods

The vegetable waste was collected from the local market and dried in our laboratory. It was

powdered and sieved with the help of fine mesh and stocked. And the same method was

followed in the cow dung waste. Series of culture media were prepared using dry cow

dung, vegetable waste, duck waste and rice bran, Freshly hatched larvae from the egg

masses incubated at 28 o c in the laboratory were reared in separate plastic trough with 10 lt

of dechlorinated drinking water providing dry cow dung and vegetable waste, duck waste

and rice bran powder as a nutrient source. Each series consisted of about 20 larvae; and all

the larvae were hatched from the same egg mass. The larvae were weighed before the

commencement of feeding experiment. Initial length and weight of the larvae was .7 mm


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and .08 mg. To facilitate easy construction of tube the worms were gently aerated. The

mosquito net was used to cover the plastic trough fully to prevent the entry of mosquito

into the culture system 0.2 g of organic matter free soil (particle size .1 mm3 was provided

as a substratum.

The nutrient source weight ranged from 5, 10, and 15 g of cow dung dry powder and the

same weight was followed in the vegetable waste dry matter, duck waste and rice bran (All

were dried and powdered). Each one of the experimental set up was maintained in

triplicate. Daily two times morning and evening the nutrient extract was supplied from the

different weight of the organic manure, and the waste were removed from the extract. The

water chemistry values over the duration of the experiment was pH 6.8-7.5, dissolved

oxygen 5.8-6.5 mg/lt, temperature 25 o c-28 o c and the total ammonia were 1.0-1.8 mg/lt

were monitored for every two days. And every day the culture system was watched for the

emergence of midges.

Collection

The Chironomus larvae were collected from in an around of Virudhunagar all through the

season especially from the drainage canals and the larvae were carefully transported to

zoology research laboratory of V.H.N.S.N College (Autonomous) Virudhunagar.

Rearing

The collected worms were reared in the lab condition, using crude wet cow dung extract as

nutrient sources. The water level was maintained throughout the rearing periods. The

suspected gravid adult was allowed to lay the eggs in the laboratory; the eggs were left to

hatch and thereafter reared up to the adult.

Male Female identification

The male and female identification of the Midges were morphologically differentiated. The

Male have the thin abdomen with greenish color and have the plimose type of antenna. The


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female have broad abdomen with dark color and the antenna have plumose type of antenna.

The Male and Female were identified and transferred to the other troughs to lay the eggs,

containing the crude cow dung extract mixed with water. The species also identified using

the key of Saether (1969) under MV.TEX camera Lucida microscope. The water level was

maintained. With in 1 or 2 days, mating took place.


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Life cycle

The four life stages, egg, larvae, pupae, and adult, are treated separately. The life history of

Chironomus spp has been described by Oliver (1971) and Hill and Cheung (1978).But the

detailed study of the different stages of the life cycle of the species in south India has not

been done. The developmental stage of the C.ramosus from egg to adult was 23 days as

recorded in our laboratory. Effect of different nutrient sources on the growth performance,

hatchability, fly emergence and survival rate of C. ramosus larvae are presented in table 1

Egg massThe eggs nos of 210 to 240 nos of eggs were recorded from each of the individual breeding

set. The sex ratios of 2:1 were allowed in a breeding set. The eggs were collected in the

Petri dish and carefully put into another trough containing crude cow dung extract. After 24

hours the young ones were hatched from the same egg mass.

Larvae: I st Instar- 4th instarFirst instar larvae were colorless, although later instars are usually red depending on

nutrition and oxygenation. The energy required for swimming is obtained by feeding on

suspended algae and detritus, but some nourishment may be derived from the yolk that

remains from the egg (Alekseyev.1965).

The first instar settled after several days and built a case. First instar larvae could be

recovered from the field at this stage in bottom samples. The molt to the second instar

followed quite rapidly. In the second instar the single pair of ventral tubules although


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present was relatively shorter than in 3 rd or 4 th instars. Second and subsequent instars

showed strong negative phototaxis, bright directional light even causing them to leave their

tubules.

Results

Fig 1. Shows the emergence of midge fly larvae and hatchability of the eggs, survival rate

were showed on the chosen nutrient media viz; cow dung, vegetable waste, duck waste and

rice bran. Among the organic nutrient sources cow dung fed groups on 15 g medium were

first observed to emerge as fly compared to other organic nutrient media. And the

hatchability was 96.66%, Days of fly emergence is 15.0.816 days and the survival rate is

100 and followed by other organic manure were recorded. The metamorphosis took place

within the larval tube. However the larval period was prolonged to 18, 16, and 15, days in

those reared on (5, 10, and 15 g) cow dung followed by vegetable waste it was 15, 16, and

17 days, duck waste (16, 19, and 19), Rice bran (14, 17 and 16) days respectively. The time

of the fly emergence may vary due to the organic manure variation and the survival rates

are presented in fig (1)

In the case of rice bran 5 g was enough for the larval rearing of the C.ramosus.But other

organic manure 15 g was needed suitable for the larval rearing and the no of eggs were

varying from one organic manure to others due to certain composition of the manure. From

the study we have recorded 15 g is suitable for the rearing of this species in 10 lt of water.

If there is organic load in the rearing tank or trough mass mortality will be happens.

According to the size and density of the animal we should apply the organic manure. So 15

g medium is suitable for the culture of Chironomus larvae in 10 lt of water. The

temperature plays a major role in the larval development of the midge fly larvae. The larval

development mainly depends on the temperature. If the temperature falls below 10o c mass

mortality was observed. Before the fly the larvae length ranged from 3.5 cm-4.5 cm, in cow


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dung nutrient sources. However the duration required for metamorphosis of the larval into

pupae and imago did not differ due to difference in the quality of the medium.

Discussion

Among the different organic manure media provided in a series of sets, dry cow dung and

vegetable waste in the ratio of 15 g was found to be suitable for maximizing the

productivity of Chironomus midges except rice bran. The fact that chicken manure

provides a potential nutrient medium for Chironomus culture has been demonstrated by

Shaw and mark (1980). At an expense of 1440 kg of Chicken manure about 140 kg of

Chironomus larvae were obtained in an area of 675 m2 in about 50 days.

The best survival and weight gain are presented in table 1.The best weight gain were

observed in those reared on the cow dung of 15 g followed by other organic manure ratios.

The time of fly emergence may vary from one nutrient source to other one due to certain

group of components of the organic manure. The temperature plays a major role in those

reared on the different type of organic manure.

Temperature is one of the major factor controlling rates of growth and development in

aquatic insects Anderson et al., (1979). And the adult body size of a number of insects

depends largely on temperature experienced during larval development Sweeney et al.,

1978. In addition to a direct effect on metabolism, temperature is also likely to have an

indirect effect through its influence on food quality and quantity Sweeney et al., 1978.

But there is evidence that food quality may also have a significant effect Ward et al., 1979.

Studied growth and development of a range of species at different temperatures, At 15 o c

larval development required between 5 and 48 days for completion Mackey, A.P.1977.

Larvae reared at lower temperature are usually longer than those reared at higher

temperature. Mackey.A.P, 1977.In our present study, similar results were also observed in

the growth and emergence of midge fly. In the present study shows that 15 g cow dung dry


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powder extract, vegetable waste duck waste can give the best fly emergence within a short

period of days than the natural cycle of the Chironomus. In Hong Kong Chironomid larvae

are grown on Chicken manure (Shaw and mark, 1980).The yield is about 28 gm -2 week-1,

which is much lower than the yield of 250 to 375 gm-2 week-1obtained by Yashouv (1970)

who grew Chironomid larvae on chicken manure in pans within a green house with

aeration.

Horse manure has also been used to fertilize the pool for blood worm culture .But the

average yield of the best pools was 11gm-2 week-1 which was only a fraction of the

maximum yield obtained from other midges culture systems (Mc Laeney et. al., 1974)

.The attempt to rear blood worms with various by products such as Wheat bran, rice bran,

Soya been meal, Coconut refuse have been carried out with satisfactory results (Koh and

Shim, 1980 Teo et al., 1985).In our present study also showed the similar results.

Conclusion

The cow dung is easily available one. The farmers, who may not know the use of the

bloodworms, may be recommended to start the bloodworm culture within the aqua farm.

Since they live in oxygen-depleted area even in the drainage canals their culture is easy.

The cow dung extract should be given in the culture system and the water level must be

maintained throughout the culture period. This can be done with the fish, side by side the

culture going on. We can harvest the worms at the time of maturing period. Larval rearing

of bloodworms is very easy in the lab condition. Therefore dry cow dung is considered as a

better source of nutrients followed by dry vegetable powder, duck waste and rice bran, for

culture of Chironomus larvae. And the local fish farmer may easily culture the blood

worms using the cow dung extract. which improve the gonad development of the fish

especially gold fish and certain group of ornamental fishes.


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Acknowledgement

The financial assistance we got from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB),

New Delhi, is greatly acknowledged. The author is thankful to Secretary and Principal of

V.H.N.S.N College (Autonomous) for providing the lab facilities to carry out the work

successfully.

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Fig 1.Effect of different organic nutrient sources on the growth performance,hatchability, fly emergence and survival rate of C. ramosus larvae in lab condition.

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

5 10 15 5 10 15 5 10 15 5 10 15

Cow dung powder (g) Vegetable wastepowder (g)

Duck waste powder (g) Rice bran (g)

Different organic manure (g)No. of eggs counted Hatchability (%) Days of f ly emergence Survival rate (%)


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Table1. Effect of different organic nutrient sources on the growth performance, hatchability, fly emergence and survival rate of C. ramosus larvae in labcondition.

Nutrient sourcesCow dung powder (g) Vegetable waste powder (g) Duck waste powder (g) Rice bran (g)

5 10 15 5 10 15 5 10 15 5 10 15No. ofwormsstocked

30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30

Temperature

28 o C 28 o C 28 o C 28 o C 28 o C 28 o C 28 o C 28 o C 28 o C 28 o C 28 o C 28 o C

Ammonia 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0pH 6.7-7.8 6.9-7.5 6.8-7.0 6.8-7.2 6.8-7.0 6.9-7.2 6.8-7.0 6.8-7.0 6.8-7.0 6.8-7.2 6.8-7.0 8.0DO mg/lt 5.3 5.5 5.6 5.2 5.3 5.6 5.8 5.0 5.3 5.6 5.5 5.7No. ofeggscounted

259.665.31

267.662.86

286.661.2

227.662.86

258.331.69

268.661.69

263.01.63

247.333.29

277.02.16

267.662.05

248.337.76

277.333.29

Hatchability (%)

89.5.70 91.666.23

96.664.71

9014.14 954.08 9014.14 86.664.71

808.16 93.339.42

83.334.71

88.52.121

93.334.714

Days offlyemergence

18.0.816

16.331.247

15.816 17.331.247

15.0.816

16.0.816

19.66.471

19.0.81 18.331.24

14.0.81 17.33.471

16.66.942

Survivalrate (%)

908.164

96.664.71

100 83.334.71

86.6612.4

908.16 86.6612.4

808.16 9014.14

83.3316.9

83.3316.9

93.339.42

chironomus larvae culture –a boon to aquaculture sector

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